


No Book for This!

by AmarilloSky



Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: Awkwardness, Barley is (still) a good Big Brother, Brotherly Bonding, Hopefully IC, Ian will be too!, Not feeling worthy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:21:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23535208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmarilloSky/pseuds/AmarilloSky
Summary: As if being a Wizard isn't hard enough, at least that comes with a handy game/real-life-guide-book. Unfortunately for Ian (and Barley) real life does not.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 51





	No Book for This!

**Author's Note:**

> This is supposed to just be a one shot talk between the brothers, but that being said, like me, now you're curious about this new kid too aren't you? Though I need to finish Toy Story fic! So sorry, and now this stole my muse!

_Most_ times, Ian would have said that Barley doing nothing but sitting there silently, chewing, was one of the most annoying things in the world. Or the young wizard would have turned on the TV or something to banish the awkward silence. The silence that was now added to by some clanking into the almost empty cereal bowl.

This was silly. One of them had to say something.

Ian nominated himself.

Maybe he did still need to banish the awkward silence.

"So...we could take like a sort of...bet?", the younger of the brother's offered. "On...you know, if it'll be an Elf, a Centaur or...".

Was there an Or? Could the kid end up a weird hybrid? Ian hoped not. Along with everything else, he was getting used to the feeling of becoming an older brother himself now, and no kid deserved that! Plus it wasn't...it's fault, the whole thing was complicated. And they needed to stop saying "It", but until a gender was known...

When Mom had announced _Ian's_ being expected, she said Barley had broken into a wide grin and run around the house for two hours. She might have exaggerated, but...upon news that she and the boy's recent step-father, Colt Bronco, were expecting a kid, Barley's face had gone a sort of surprised neutral. He'd muttered out a sort of congrats, but it was severely toned down, apparently.

Ian was unsure what _he_ felt.

They were ok with Colt by now of course, but...somehow news of this next step had reduced the brothers to a united sort of silence.

Barley clanked his spoon a bit more, and drank down the bowl milk, before answering, as he got up to put said bowl away. "Nah", was the only answer he threw out. 

Ian sighed, running a hand through his hair before facing his brother again. Or his back. "Come on, I...I know it's not ideal, but...", he gave a glance to make sure Mom or Colt weren't nearby, "It's not the kid's fault we still don't know how we feel, and, it'll...be...one of us, you know? Even a girl".

As he turned from the sink with a sigh, Barley leaned against the counter, "I'm not blaming the kid; and when is Mom gonna get a gender test so we can stop talking like this...".

Ian smiled as a bit of the old Barley came back, before the older of them looked unsure again. "It's just...not even worth it for me to form an opinion, I'm just gonna be gone in a year anyway", Barley went on, walking around to the living room and starting to do what he never did, clean up his Quests of Yore game.

Ian looked stunned and followed him. "You...made a college decision?".

_Great now he had to process that!_ He knew it had been coming, and that Barley could only stretch a Gap Year so far.

"I don't know, but Mom's gonna make me anyway". Barley scooted a handful of avatar pieces into the box.

"Oh, is this...that he or she comes in as you go out thing?", Ian thought maybe he'd found an answer, and tried, again, to solve the gender speak issue.

Barley actually chuckled, and Ian was pleased to see a lighter smile on his face as he turned back, "Nah, I'm not that petty, but...truth be told, I'm afraid I will like the kid you know? And...well like I said, I won't be around most likely so".

"Well you're still visiting I'd hope!", Ian pointed out, "We still have to do that trip to Gargoyle's Grotto out of town".

"Of course I'll be back, but...", Barley sighed like he didn't know how to finish, but Ian felt he got it.

"Year by Year, or Holiday to Holiday is different than three years apart and able to help with bike rides...", he finished in a soft tone of realization.

Barley wasn't changing the kind of brother he was for a half-sibling, he was still just too good a one. Trying for _All or Nothing_.

"That'll probably fall to you", Barley gave a half smile, "or Colt. And then there's that! I can't insult the guy ever again now, and...I had a few saved up!".

Ian chuckled, "Well, it could still just be our thing". But Barley shook his head. _No, once there was another sibling, Barley wasn't going to insult his or her father, even in teasing. No matter how much he died inside a bit._ Ian smiled again.

How did both he and now the unnamed new kid get so lucky?

His smile then fell to a frown. "Well you better not just jet off, you gotta show me how to do it or we'll have one screwed up kid all thanks to me!".

Barley laughed, "Well you're a Wizard, I'm already alright with the fact that you're gonna be the favorite; and you'll do fine". He gave Ian a small arm punch. Ian chuckled, rubbing his arm, then looked serious again.

"It'll be alright Barley", he practiced a bit by reassuring his older brother.

"Yeah I know", despite that lingering doubt, Barley smiled.


End file.
